Good morning,

This is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, October 30, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Texas Acquires Border Ranch to Build Wall

• A 1,400-acre ranch along the Rio Grande has been acquired by the General Land Office of Texas for use in building a wall along the Mexico border. Emily Medeiros reports state employees have already been out to the property with bulldozers to begin work.
       
• In announcing the purchase, Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said it was done because "the federal government has abdicated its job to secure our southern border."
      
• The remote property had been the site of human trafficking routes. Buckingham said the land included trees that served as “rape trees”—places where traffickers display women’s undergarments as trophies after an assault.

RELATED NEWS

$1 Million Teacher Certification Cheating Ring Exposed

• A million-dollar teacher certification cheating ring has been exposed. Charles Blain reports more than 200 unqualified teachers were certified through the fraudulent program, including two sexual predators. It was exposed this week after the Harris County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against five of those involved.
       
• The alleged ringleader is Vincent Grayson, the head boys basketball coach at Houston’s Booker T. Washington High School.
       
• Allegedly, candidates seeking certification would pay Grayson $2,500. He would then give a 20 percent portion to a certification proctor, who would then allow a someone else to sit for the test under the prospective teacher’s name.
      
• Many of the credential-seekers had previously failed the test numerous times in other locations. With this cheating ring, they would then drive—sometimes hours—to Houston and surprisingly pass the test with “flying colors.”

Trump Announces Compensation Fund for Victims of Illegal Alien Violence

• Ahead of next week's election, Donald Trump has announced his plans to create a compensation program for victims of violence committed by illegal aliens. Will Biagini reports the program would be funded by assets seized from gangs and cartels.
      
• Texas continues to be plagued by crimes committed by illegal aliens. Earlier this month, a 29-year-old man was killed in a vehicular collision caused by an illegal alien who was driving while intoxicated. Last spring, two illegal aliens connected to a violent Venezuelan gang allegedly raped and murdered a 12-year-old girl in Houston.
       
• The girl's mother, Alexis Nungaray, recently said her daughter is dead because of the Biden-Harris administration’s open-border policies.

Dallas HERO Advocates for Pro-citizen Amendments on Ballot

• Dallas voters are set to consider three key charter amendments—designated on the ballot as S, T, and U—aimed at bolstering law enforcement and citizens’ rights, reports Luca Cacciatore.
        
• The first, "S," would allow "any resident of Dallas" to "bring an action against the City of Dallas to require the City to comply with any of the provisions" of city or state law. The second, "T," would make the city manager’s salary performance-based, while "U" increases pay for law enforcement. 
       
• On Tuesday evening, The Dallas Express hosted a forum to discuss the propositions—featuring opponents and proponents of the measures. Former Mayor Tom Leppert argued against the charter amendments.
        
• The Dallas City Council had initially tried to stifle the citizen-led amendments earlier this year by proposing their own set of changes. The Texas Supreme Court ruled in September that the citizen-led propositions must appear on the ballot without the council’s "duplicative propositions."
      
• Dallas HERO Executive Director Pete Marocco said the amendments could serve as a model for Texas and the rest of the nation on how to reform local government.

Schools Campaigning for Tax Hikes

• School districts across Texas are promoting tax increases and new debt on the November ballot using carefully worded “information” campaigns, but some officials are crossing the line into explicit electioneering “for” their ballot propositions. Erin Anderson has the details.
       
• For example, the tiny Turkey-Quitaque Independent School District in the Texas Panhandle posted on its website a copy of its tax increase election notice encouraging residents to “Vote FOR” it.
         
• “A vote ‘YES’ is a vote for the future of our children, our school, and our communities,” teacher and basketball coach Greg Ramsey is quoted as saying on the website.

UPDATE: Rep. Jeff Leach Faces Criminal Prosecution After Admitting Attempt to Sway Judge

• Attorney General Ken Paxton announced yesterday that he has initiated a criminal referral, accusing State Rep. Jeff Leach of a “serious breach of ethical rules and violation of the law” for his role in advocating for the release of a convicted child killer. Brandon Waltens updates this ongoing story.
       
• This follows revelations that Leach sent text messages to Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Michelle Slaughter in an attempt to sway her opinion. Leach has acknowledged the messages, explaining he was “passionate” about the case of Robert Roberson, who faced execution earlier this month for the murder of his two-year-old daughter. The execution was delayed due to legal interventions by Leach and other state lawmakers.
       
• Because of Leach’s role as chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, Paxton has called for his resignation.
       
• "He has unconstitutionally interfered in capital punishment proceedings. His conduct demonstrates he is unfit to serve in any capacity overseeing our judicial system and unfit to serve as a Member of the Texas House," said Paxton. "House Speaker Dade Phelan must immediately remove him as Chairman before he can do further damage, and Leach must resign."
       
• Leach has referred all inquiries to his lawyer, who has not responded.

Quote-Unquote

"Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God's service when it is violating all his laws."

– John Adams​

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